CHRB Orders a Review

Richard Shapiro, chairman of the California Horse Racing Board, has ordered an independent review of an incident last summer at Del Mar involving a veterinarian and the Eclipse Award-winning mare Intercontinental.

Scott Chaney, a steward at Santa Anita, will conduct the review of veterinarian Amy Lee Nevens, who falsified a bleeder medication report for Intercontinental last Sept. 3, the day the Danehill mare won the Palomar Breeders’ Cup Handicap as the 3-10 favorite. Chaney is an attorney and a former assistant trainer to Darrell Vienna.

Nevens has already been fined $750 for the infraction. She had filled out her report before she actually gave the furosemide (Lasix) injection and the report said the shot had been given at 11:30 a.m., about four hours before the Palomar. In actuality, the shot was given at 12:10.

A furosemide injection is supposed to be given four hours before post time, with a 15-minute grace period on either side. If the shot is not given within that time frame, a horse is supposed to be scratched.

The Del Mar stewards weren’t aware of the problem at the time, so Intercontinental, trained by Bobby Frankel for Juddmonte Farms, was allowed to run.

Chaney is scheduled to report to the CHRB’s medication committee March 22.

-- Bob Mieszerski